Picture this: you’ve gathered together a group of friends you’ve not met in a while. You’ve picked a restaurant that you know has an amazing buffet. You call in, patiently waiting on hold for ages, and make a reservation - table for eight at noon on Sunday. All of you decide to skip breakfast in order to make the most of the buffet. Everyone rocks up bang on time, excited to see each other and hungry for some good food. You get to the front desk and, to your utter horror, you are told that your reservation has been made for the following Sunday. The concierge is eager to help, but the restaurant is teeming with guests and the earliest you can get a table is in another hour (and that’s if you’re lucky). By now you’re all utterly famished - there is no way you’re willing to wait an hour, especially if a table is not guaranteed. So you apologise profusely to your friends (of course, they understand) and you all walk away dejectedly looking for somewhere close by with quick service.
Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it? Well, if you want to avoid this kind of fiasco, then you should switch to online buffet booking. Through a reservation site, you can choose from a range of buffets in Sri Lanka and make your booking easily, swiftly and accurately. The next time you arrange a meet-up with friends, spare yourself the mortification of erroneous bookings by making your reservation online.
The hassles of traditional buffet reservations
No amount of waxing sentimental about the sense of connection felt when speaking to a real person can erase the reality that making reservations via a phone call is annoying and a waste of time. To begin with, you need to get through. This doesn’t always happen on the first try, which means you need to dial a few times before someone answers your call. Then, you need to wait on hold, quite often for a long time: depending on how the restaurant’s lines of communication work, they may have to transfer you to the person handling reservations or the staff member will need to check availability. If the date or time slot you requested is unavailable, you will need to be on hold once again while the staff member looks for alternatives. Finding a slot that is compatible with the restaurant is a process in itself - there is a lot of back and forth on various options.
The potential for errors in manual reservations is high. The mistakes could range from the fairly simple, like a misspelled name, to the more serious, like entering the wrong date or time or forgetting to make the entry at all. Remember the scenario you read just now? That’s how badly things could go wrong when you call in to make a reservation.
With old-fashioned pen and paper systems, it is difficult for a restaurant to monitor demand. The day’s requirement is largely a guesstimate (laced with oodles of optimism that the manager or chef has got it right!). So, what if the person in charge gets it wrong? Well, worst case scenario for you - the restaurant will run out of food. This is a strong possibility at peak hours, especially with dishes that are super popular. No one wants to pay full fare and then serve from a half empty table.
When you phone in, you are dependent on the restaurant staff member to give you the relevant information - this includes types of food and cuisine, as well as any special offers or discounts. If the staff member is rushed or harried - which is almost always the case for restaurant employees - you will not get all the details. Your questions may only get cursory responses. All in all, you will have very little clarity and you may miss out on some good deals.
The benefits of online buffet reservation platforms
To begin with, you do not need to waste precious time waiting on hold. When you log in, you get a clear picture of availability. A few clicks and you’re done - the reservation is made! Depending on the site, you can also make special requests in terms of seating. This is great if you’ve got kids and need high chairs or if someone in your group has mobility difficulties and needs to be closer to the buffet table.
Manual mistakes are eliminated with automated precision. Once you’ve selected the date and time and entered the number of guests, you need to verify the details before hitting ‘confirm’. You can ensure that your reservation is correct (and that your name is spelled correctly too!).
Restaurants that use online booking have exact guest numbers. They are well prepared because they know how much food to prepare for based on the data generated by the platform. So, you can confidently skip breakfast (or lunch), knowing without a doubt that there will be enough food to satiate your appetite!
When you use an online platform, you have access to a range of buffets. You can compare what’s on offer, looking at things like cuisine and price. You will also be able to read reviews to get an idea of what other diners think about the various restaurants. The special offers and discounts will be right there for you to see, giving you the chance to snag a good deal.
Comparison: traditional vs. online buffet booking
| Aspect | Traditional Reservation | Online Buffet Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Reservation Process | Calling or in-person visit | Online booking in seconds |
| Waiting Time | Long hold times | Instant confirmation |
| Human Error | Misspelled names, incorrect dates | Automated accuracy |
| Food Availability | Unpredictable | Managed based on real-time demand |
| Choice & Customization | Limited options given by staff | User selects the best package |
The fastest, most convenient way to make a buffet reservation
If you want an effortless method to make a buffet reservation, simply log in to RUSH by appiGo, This is Sri Lanka’s foremost online buffet booking platform, giving you access to a host of mouth-watering options. It’s your one-stop-shop to browse restaurants, check out photos, read reviews and look at special offers. The next time you plan your buffet outing, skip the surprises and book with appiGo RUSH.